Vehicle-wheel.



. 1I. o. BECK.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED Dnc. 7, 1907.

Patented June 15, 1909.

3 BHBETSfSHEBT 1.

Irv l "biz- Ano/MEM H. 0. PEGK.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED DE01, 1907.

Patented June 15, 1909.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

WITNESSES:

-af/riw'y ZZaPecJa.-

v60 Arma/vnf H. O. PEGK. VEHICLE WHEEL.

PPLIOATION FILED 1130.7, 1907.

Patented 51111615, 1909;

UNITED -sTATEs PATENT OEETOE. c

HAETn-"IG o. rEcn, OE POETLAXD, OREGON, AssIGNoE.' BY DIRECT AND nEsNE Assise'- MENTs, To H. o. PECE AUTOMOBILE WHEEL COMPANY, or PORTLAND, OREGON, INCOR- PORATED.

vEHIeLE-WHEEL.

Patented .Tune 15, 1909.

Application led December '7, 1907. Serial No. 405,554.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARTWIG O. PEGI; residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-VVheels, of which the following is a specification.

My vinvention rela-tes to certain new and useful improvements in vehicle wheels of the spring type, and it primarily has for its object to provide a wheel of an improved construction'which can be easily manufac tured at a comparatively low cost and which will readily and effectively serve-its intended purposes. p g

Generically, my invention embodies a wheel having a rim of 'a special construcl' the spring can be4 adjusted and also the` closure=member includes a stutling box tion to which the spokes of the wheel are pivotally secured and a hub to'which the .spokes are also secured, the spokes being of a special construction which will be hereinafter-fully described. f

The improved type of spoke which forms a part of myv invention generically comprises a4 tubular casing member which. is pivotally secured to the rim, and a rod-like member that is pivotally secured to the hub, the rod member entering the casing member and coperating with a co-il spring to act. as a buffer or shock absorber, the casing being closedwhere' the rod passes into the same bya peculiarly constructed closure member by means of which the tension on whereby 4the' casing can be closed in such manner thatit may be iilled with oil or other suitable lubricant.

With other obj ects-in view, which willbe hereinafter fully apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, the invention-embodies certain novel detailsv of construction, combination and arrangevment of parts all Vof which will be first described and then .be specifically pointed out in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure l, is a perspective ,view of a wheel embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is a central, vertical, longitudinalsection of ahalf of the wheel with the parts in the position shown in Figrl. Fig: is a snnilar view showing the position ofthe parts when the -wheel strikes-an obstruction. Fig. 4, is a similar View the position of the..

and chainl or other suitable gearing. Fig. 5, is an enlarged detail section of one of the spoke members. Fig. 6, is a'detail cross see'- 4tion Aof the rim on the line V6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7, is a. similar view on the line 7-7 ,of Fig. 2. Fig. 8, is a detail` view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9,' is a deta-il view of a modification.

Referring nowto the accompanying drawings in .which like characters of reference parts when power is appliedto turn the' `wheel through the medium of a sprocket indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1'

designates thewheel which embodies my invention and which in its general make-up comprises the rim 2 that receives the tire 3,l

and-the hub 4, to which and to the rim the spokes 5 are secured. The rim 2 and spokes 5 togetherl with the cooperative connection of the spokeswith the hub and therim,and

the spoke construction form the essential fea-tures of my invention.` A

The rim 2 is in practice preferably formed of thin metal bent into the shape shown in Figs. 6 and 7 to form a groove to receive the tire 3. In order to stien the rim and pre- .vent buckling of the wheel, the rim is formed with 'a circular bead 2c in each section and where the spokes 5 oin with the rim the rim is formed with pocket -like portions 2d through which the bolts 2' pass, the bolts 2v serving not only to secure the rim sections together, but as pivots for the spoke ends.

The hubk 4 is provided with a bearing portion la and side disks 4b between which the ends of the spokes are pivoted on bolts 4.

The spokes 5 whichv form .a very essential" part of my invention each comprise a tubular member 5a that has a .flattened end 55.

through which the pivot bolts 2e pass and is provided with an internal chamber 5b, as

' shown.

The Iopen end of the tubular member 5a is internally threaded as at 5c, to'receive the cap 51 which has a nut portions-by means -of which the cap can be screwed into. and

out of the tubular section 5a for purposes which will presently appear.

lThe cap 5d has an internally threaded chamber to receive the bushing 5e and serves 105 as a stuliing box with the lpacking 5f and through which the spoke section 6 projects. -The slpoke section is preferably a tubular rod, alt ough a solid'one lma be used if desired,andI passes. through t e stuffing boxl and cap into the chamber 5b the spoke 4section 5.

l The end of the rod 6 within the chamber 5" may be threaded vto receive a plston 6d which may be immovably secured 1n place in any desired manner, such for instance, as u setting the end of the rod4 6 or in any ot .er approved way. Between the iston 6 and the cap 51 a fiat coil sprin 7 is eld Within the chamber 5b and aroun the rod 6 to serve to force the-piston 6d to-I ward the outer end of the spoke section 5 as will be presently apparent. The hub end' of the spo e section 61s flared as at :6l and may be reinforced 'by a block of wood 6".

or other suitable means if desired.

I also prefer tolll the tubular sections` 5 of the spokes with oil or other suitable lubricant to serve several purposes, first, to lubricate the parts, and second, to act inconnection with 4the piston as a com ression medium and serve thereby as a bu er.

lInasmuch as the pistons 6d are not packed,

' the oil lwill pass by the piston duringthe movement of the piston, it being understood that the assage of the oil will not take place unti the iston has moved to compress the same and then such passage will be slow so' that'the voil acts as a bufer in the manner of the ordinary dash pot. This is indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawin s.

I have showny in Fig. 9 that may provide the tubular member 5'L with a lug 5r to I eceive a set screw 5 and a brass ory other suitable member 5" to engage the cap 5d and lock it in its adjusted positions.

In the practical application of my inven` tionthe path of movement of the piston 6V within the cylindrical or tubular section 5EL of the spoke is of such length 'that when the rod 6 is pulled out as far as possible inv a direction away from the. spoke section 5'L the spring 7 will'be compressed and will -reach its position of maximum compression before the opposite spoke'can contact 'the closed end of the casing 5. This will be readily apparent by reference to Fig. 3, which shows the wheel striking an obstruction. This is to prevent any downward'strain on the spoke sections while 'in their telescoped position, but compel the hub of the wheel to always hang on the upper half of` the spokes.

By reference to Fi 2,' the' 'ormal pd' sition of the parts wil be seen wherein 4the A Y pistons 61- are all acting under `their com- 55 pression influence, the forces of the several s rings 7 tending to-balance the parts, with t ehub 4 at fthe center of the-wheel.

When the 'wheel strikes an obstruction the l y parts will assume more orf less the position,v

shown in Fig. 3 and when sudden power is applied to a drive wheel constructed in 'accordance'with my invention vas'indicated 1n Fig'. 4, then the' entire forces acting to turn the hub will serve to pull on the spoke section 6 against the action of the spring 7 and turn the Wheel.' If the force is such as to turn the parts into the position'shown in Fig. 4, then all the springs 7 'will be compressed to their maximum position and serve as a solid metallic connection between the two spoke sections, as shown in Fig. 4, so that a direct ull between the hub and the rim may be o tained.and the wheel act in the position shownvin Fi 4 substantially as a solid spoke wheel, an at the same time as the vehicleis started `up and its speed increases the tension of the springs 7 will gradually `draw the parts into their normal 4position shown in Figs. land 2.

l By roviding the adjustable cap .5d for the ends ofthe tubular members 5lL the tension of the spring 7 can be adjusted so that when the'wheel parts are assembled the same may be trued up by adjusting the cap 5d.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in A the art to which the inventionappertains.

What I claim is:

In a vehicle wheel, a hub-'and a rim, a 4

- series of resilient spokes each comprising an -outercasing having one end open andthe other end vclosedand flattened, means for .pivoting said outer casing through the Hattened end to the-rim, a rigid rod projected 1 into said casing, a piston on the end ofsaid rod Within the casing, the other end of said rodbeing apertured, means for pivoting said apertured end of the rod to thehub', a coil spring rectangular in cross section held around said rod within the casing and abutting said piston, -an adjustable apertured closure plug for the open end of said casing through whichhsaid rod passes and against whichA said spring abuts, a liquid substantially filling the lcasin to cause the-piston loq f and casing to, act as a-dash-,IPOJ 2" Saidl iston being ofsuch diameter as to permit s ow passage of the liquid-upon the movement of the piston within the, casing, the ivotal connection between the casing and t e rim and the pivotal connection .between the rod 

